The 10 Worst Movies of 2016

Still from Lionsgate

1. Blair Witch

Gather round kids and I’ll tell you a story. Seventeen years ago a movie called The Blair Witch Project came into theaters and changed everything we knew about cinema. Movies didn’t have to be filmed on professional cameras, but could be wielded by actors themselves; they could look cheap and be considered revolutionary and artistic! We wouldn’t have the found footage movie today if not for that great wonder, The Blair Witch Project. I’m exaggerating a bit, but there’s no denying The Blair Witch Project brought independent cinema into the studios’ line of sight. I was 11 years old and terrified by the film, which still holds up after all this time.

However, I think we can all agree no one needed a sequel in 2016. Blair Witch gets the #1 spot for failing every single requirement I ask for a film, even the demand it be in focus! I know the original was 90 minutes of characters shaking a camera in the woods, but here we don’t even get any characters to care about. The film relies on the original so heavily, creating a fake brother for the first film’s Heather just to avoid devoting precious script pages to personality. Nothing about the film makes sense, and despite an overabundance of new camera techniques that the actors bring to the woods, the film comes up with reasons not to use them. I was left sickened, both by the camera, and the knowledge that this was directed by Adam Wingard, who helmed the amazing The Guest.

Next: The 15 Best Movies of 2016

That wraps up the worst movies of 2016, at least for me. What films are on your worst list?